AISH. Ewan. Here I am, Rex is dragging me through our parents for that crap announcement. Then my face went brighter when I saw this lovely cute little girl. Mamu and his father are sitting at the couch while someone went out of the room. She's about 20+. She sat next to my mom.

"Take your seat guys." We took our seat and they noticed that he was holding my hand. I quickly pulled my hand out of his hand and put it in my back while he shoved his hand in his pocket and looked at the ceiling. I was pretending looking at the corners. Looks like I'm starting to get redder.

"Please, take care of her. I will be back when my contract there finished already." I have no choice but to agree on her. I forced him to make a promise at Andrea. She glanced at her watch and looked suprisingly. "I have to go now, 5:30 PM was the flight of the plane. Please do take care of her." She bowed down and bid goodbye to us. Then she approached Camille to say her goodbyes for the child. When Andrea drove off by the taxi, I saw Camille's face, and I can't explain the expression in her face. Sucks.

I approached her as she was looking at the back of the taxi that her mom was actually riding on it. "Okay ka lang?" She nodded. I knelt down to my knees and sat so that I can reach her height. This will gonna be hard...

"Uh, Camille," She looked at me. "Uhh, for now, can I be your mother for now?"

"I miss mommy. Daddy." She said and lowered her head as she was playing her teddy bear. Rex walked towards us. "Seryoso ka ba? Iuuwi mo yan dun?" He whispered.

"Let's try to explain things to her." I whispered to him, then I looked at Camille and started to explain. I scoffed. "Camille, we will be your parents permanently. I'll be your mama," I pointed at him. "And he will be your permanent papa. Can you help us?"

"I don't think so, ate Marianne." She shook her head. "We'll be a great family. Me, you and him. Are you not happy?" She didn't respond. "Sheeshh. Ewan ko sa batang yan. Umuwi na nga tayo.." He dragged me and I looked at him. "Siraulo ka ba? You're not caring for the child."

We started walking when I heard her voice. "Mama? Papa?" We spun our heads and looked at her. She stopped from crying but still, her eyes are teary then. "Ano?"

She was not still happy until we reached the house. "What's wrong? Hindi mo gusto tong bahay?" She shaked her head saying 'no'. He took something from his pocket and lend his hands to her. A candy popped out in his hands. "Want candy?"

She happily took the candy and ate it. "See? Candy can cure kids like her." He said to me while putting his hand at her head.

"Mama, Papa." We looked at her. "Do you love each other?" ??

"Bakit mo natanong?"

"If you don't love each other, then I can't be your child." What is she talking about?

"Of course we love each other. That's why you called us papa and mama."

"Then prove it." She proudly said. I can't get her. I really can't get her.

"Ang tang@ mo kasi kaya di mo makuha." His lips turning into a smile. "Huh?" I looked at him with a 'what' expression. "We need to act like one." He smiled playfully. So that was her point. To make us her real parents, do whatever things that parents should do. ANO?!

They left me outside alone. Okay na kaya si Camille? Then suddenly, I felt something vibrated at my pocket, and it was my phone. Saying that there's a new message.

After makatulog ni Camille, he dragged me at the backyard. He let me to sit at the swing. "Ano naman yun?"

"We have to discuss about how to go about in our relationship, lalong lalo na ngayong dumating na si Camille sa'ting dalawa.” He said while leaning at the wall infront of the swing, his lips turning into a smile.

I couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Anong pinagsasasabi mo?” I started to ask, but then I remembered that I was now his wife. And so, I hurriedly added another line. “Hindi naman mahahalata ng bata na arranged marriage tayong dalawa diba?”

He shook his head. "Hindi, Marriane. I’m talking about our rules in marriage.” He responded in a half-serious tone.

He smiled sheepishly. “Di ko rin alam yun eh. Di ko pa rin nababasa.” He said in reply. “But the point is, we have to prove that we can pretend to be her real parents.”

Seeing no point in arguing with him since he was really stubborn in nature, I decided to give in. “Fine, gumawa tayo.” I answered, starting to brainstorm on what rules we could use just to get it over with.

But then Rex started talking again. “I’ll dictate them.” He ordered with a grin.

“At bakit naman unfair? Me, I accepted the comittment at them coz' I want to have freedom. Ikaw, sumang-ayon ka rin. Kaya may karapatan ako na gumawa ng rules for us because in this reality game, ako ang defending champion.” He pointed out. His grin turned into a smirk. He was probably going to start annoying me, the way he always did whenever he smirked.

“But I wouldn’t be your wife if I know na ikaw pala yung magiging asawa ko.” I reasoned, not wanting him to get the satisfaction of pushing me around. Akala nya huh..

He actually agreed easily. “Okay.” He said, not wiping his smirk off his face. “Isang rule lang. Pag-isipan mong mabuti.”

“Tatlong rules lang naman ang sakin eh,” He started, raising three fingers from his hand. Then he lowered the two and stated the first. “One, you can’t have other guys while you're with me lalong lalo na pag kasama natin yung bata.” Then he raised another finger for each of the next rules until he reached the fourth. “Two, wag mong bibiguin yung bata. Bigay mo ang gusto nya. Three, you have to do everything I say.”

Upon hearing that, I opted to complain. “Ano? Hoy, hindi ako robot!” I exclaimed at him with widened eyes.

But he, as usual, didn’t care about what I said. Lagi naman diba? He continued to speak in a half-serious tone. “Failure to follow these rules will result to a punishment decided by me.” Then he stopped and looked at me with a smile. Ang kapal. “Ikaw naman. Ano yung sayo?”

I opened my mouth, ready to argue with him about the rules he made but then he started looking at his watch. And so, I was reminded that I had to sleep early coz' we have classes tomorrow. I decided to just get it over with. I thought about what rule I could use to my advantage as his wife. And soon, I found it. “No bodily contact. Lumusot ka na lang pag humiling ang bata ng ganun. Magaling ka naman sa lusutan diba?” I finally said, standing up from the swing. “So, pwede na kong matulog?”

“The rules apply starting today. Okay ba?” He responded with his annoying smirk. I decided to ignore him as I was entering the room and went upstairs. I felt tired when I lied at the bed.

I started opening my phone. Too good no messages nor missed calls listed from Lawrence. I straightly went to the bathroom and took a bath. Abby called me when I was drying myself with a towel. "Good Morning, Marriane." Abby greeted me sweetly.

"Anong nakain mo at nag-ge-greet ka jan ng 'Good Morning'?"

"Syempre, alangan namang sabihin ko na 'Good Evening'?"

"Then wazzup?" I said while brushing my teeth.

"Wazzup? Wazzup with your husband?"

"Umagang-umaga, sya ang topic natin. Change topic."

"Okay, wazzup with Lawrence?" I remembered what I have done.

"I'm so busted at him." I said in a small voice.

"ANO?"

"Nasabi ko yung hindi ko dapat masabi sa kanya."

"Na ano?"

"That I was busy with my chi-" Teka, Marriane! Don't spill it! But it was always blurted at mine. Why can't I have to be specific in this kind of this? Because it always happens accidentally.

"I mean, my things. Sige, mamaya na lang. Bye." Then I hurriedly hunged up the phone. I leaned at the door and sighed. "Marriane, why are you making things more miserable?"

I hurriedly wore my uniform because I glanced at the clock and it was 6:38 AM. When I opened the door, someone's standing infront of me. And that was him. He was only wearing a towel so his fine abs are being showed. In my entire life, I didn't see this things but, I saw these things. I saw him half-naked so I screamed and covered my eyes since he was to about taking off his towel. Then I peeked and he was wearing a boxer short behind the towel. Thank GOD.

"Nakaharang ka rin naman sa daanan ko eh." He smirked as I was walking out of the bathroom. But before he shut the door, he said something. "Nandun si Camille sa likod, nakaupo sa may swing. But at least you can join me here inside." I can feel he was smirking again when he said that.

As he shut the door, I threw my slippers at the door and mumbling some curses. "AISH. Siraulo." I took my slipper that I threw at the door and headed the backyard to see Camille. And she was there, sitting at the swing happily. I sat the swing next to her.

That line repeated over and over again in my head. Looks like mawawalan pa ko nito ng pag-asa sayo.

Wait, is he -- teka, mamaya ko muna yun iaanalyze. Aasikasuhin ko muna yung tungkol kay Camille. I sent a message again. Biglang nagvibrate yung cellphone ko. And that was him who just made my phone to vibrated.

Nandun si Camille sa mama mo. Wag kang magwala. -- Rex

Sheeshh. I got relieved when he sent the message. The bell rang and we greeted 'good morning' our teacher.

***

When I was sitting at the toilet bowl, I overheard a conversation between a two girl. And the man that they've been talking about was so familiar.

Anger flushed towards me. I opened the door and the two girls looked at me. They got shocked to see me. "Sino ba yung babaeng gusto nyong sakalin? Kung gusto nyo eh, tulungan ko kayo." I straightly strucked to the two girls with a mock naiive tone and smiled. They screamed in horror and quickly went out of the girl's room. I headed to the mirror and cursed some words. "Kayo sakalin ko eh. Naku! AISH. Bakit ba ganto na mga babae ngayon? Masyadong selosa. Kung gusto nila si Rex, sabihin nila. Di nila ko kailangan pang laitin." I said while combing my hair.

I quickly fixed my hair and walked with the heels out of the girl's room.

***

The next day...

I heard some knocks at the door and some idi0t shouting. "MARRIANE!!" Sino pa ba ang sisigaw rito kundi sya lang? I irritatedly opened it. There was him, standing while holding a basket full of laundry clothes. "Ano nanaman yun?" I pouted.

I waited him at the couch until he came at the middle of the night. Mga 9:30 PM or something. "Nilabhan mo na lahat ng damit ko?" He sat beside me. "Si Camille?" I continued to be silent. "Hoy, ano ba? Tinatanong kita." He looked at me straightly in my eyes. "May problema ka ba?"

When I came back, I saw him sitting at the couch and watching TV. My feet's noise caught Rex' attention and suddenly glanced at me. "Saan ka pumunta?"

"Wala kang pakialam." I glared at him and starting walking through the kitchen. "Di ba sabi ko sayo? May pakialam ako dahil asawa mo ko?" I spun my head to see him at the couch. "Manahimik ka na lang muna." I blunted and continued to open the refrigerator to take a glass of water. I was about to go upstairs when he stopped me. "Mag-usap nga tayo."

"It's just, I dont want you to cheat at your wife, while I can't." I said softly. "So, you're jealous?" He asked smirking, making me jump. “I'M NOT?!” I yelled, throwing my hand down from my face, exposing myself to his eyes. He stared blankly at me as I stared at him with a confused look. I think of a question that will make him freak. "At bakit ka naman nagpapaliwanag sakin? Di ba gusto mo naman akong magalit sayo, makita ako umiiyak?!" I can see my picture smiling evily in my head.

"Ah! Oo eto na!” I said quickly, plopping off of the way and practically ran back to my room. Then he walked back into his room too. I mumbled some curses during ironing his clothes. "%@!#$." Then suddenly, my hands felt something. Something hot that --

"Ah, wala to." Then Rex shoved his clothes and walked out, leaving me and Camille alone. "Teka, hindi pa yan tapos -- hay naku. Nakakainis talaga tong lalaking to. He doesn't care." I sat at the bed and still worrying about my hand. "Masakit po ba?" Camille asked, and I nodded in return. Then Rex came, wearing the clothes that I'm ironing and with a toothpaste clinging his hands. He sat next to me and suddenly held my hand. I sat there, confused and shocked.

Rex wiped some toothpaste in his index finger and wiped it right through my hand. "Para di na masakit. Ayos na?" He let go of my hand after that. "Ah, oo. Ayos na." I replied in a soft voice. Then he headed to Camille and said, "Camille, anong gusto mong pasalubong?" Then he smiled.

I quickly looked at the window and I saw him with his black convertible, waving his hands at me. What will I gonna do?! Nandito si Camille. Saan ko sya itatago?!

I quickly walked downstairs, and Camille's at the living room, playing. I quickly rushed to her. "Ahh, Camille, baby? Pwede.. dun ka muna sa kwarto mo?" I replied with a grin in my face. "Mama, bakit?"

"Umm... Kasi uhh.. lilinisin ko pa 'tong bahay! Look, andumi ng bahay oh. Umakyat ka na bilis!" I pushed her back to her room and when I got to her room, I quickly shut it. I leaned at the door and scoffed. "WHEW!"

Then I ran downstairs to open the door. "Uhh, hi. Sorry kung natagalan kong buksan.. keke. Pasok!" I led him through the living room and --- "Bakit may laruan rito?" He asked, holding a stuff toy in his hands. "H-h-huh?! Ah.. uhh.. Oh! Sakin yan! Yeah, yeah."

"MAMA!" A female child voice popped out from upstairs. "Ano yun? May tao pa ba rito?" I turned my head upstairs. OH NO HINDI! He suddenly stood up from the couch and started searching where the noise was coming from. I put my hand at his arms, not letting him to go upstairs. "Wala! Wala yun." The noise was still there. Camille, manahimik ka nga jan?!

"No, parang may narinig akong boses ng bata." Then he pushed away my hand and started to walk upstairs. "Lawrence!" I followed him and... THE END.

"Ah. Never mind that." He smiled in return and turned his head to Camille. "Sino po kayo?" I stared at them weirdly. They look like the same. It was, Rex and Camille. Aish, he's Lawrence and not that jerk!

"Kaibigan ako ng mama mo. Gusto mo ng candy?" Camille nodded in return and Lawrence took something in his pocket. A candy popped in his palm. Camille cheerfully took the candy and ate it. Then Lawrence rested his hands in Camille's head and smiled at me. "Inampon nyo?" He chuckled.

"Andito na ko." He yelled around the house. I met him at the door, taking off his black leather shoes. God, he look hot! Look, his casual attire looked messy but he look super hot on him! His blue necktie was loose, the buttons were unattached, where he can barely show his stomach. "May pagkain pa ba?" Then he headed at the kitchen. It was something awkward. Hindi nya ko inasar ngayon. Bakit kaya?

I followed him to show where's the left over food. "Ito oh." I pointed at the table. He sat down and I took the water at the fridge. "Saan ka pumunta?"

"I told you, somewhere." He picked up the spoon and starting to eat the left over food. "Asan si Camille? Eto yung cake nya oh." He asked before he passed his mouth to the spoon. "Tulog na sya. Napagod siguro." I stared at him for a while. His perfect dark mysterious eyes, his precious long black messy hair, his tan skin tone, and his oh so red and kissable lips almost worked out on him. I told to myself. 'Marriane, tama si Abby. Kahit may topak, mayabang o siraulo 'yang asawa mo, may itsura naman kahit papano.' I hate to admit pero, HE WAS SO HOT ALL THE TIME. Nakakainis.

I found myself standing at the dumpsters. Mabuti na tong maitapon na agad kaysa intayin pa yung trak ng basura. After that, I turned around and I saw Rex hugging... a girl?! Not ordinary girl, but Candy!

I rubbed my eyes to know if I’m just wrong. But no. Him, the hug, the girl…

I sighed. “Let’s just trash the rules. It has no use, anyway.” I entered Camille’s room and took her out. “Ayusin mo muna ang sarili mo bago mo kami harapin.” With that, we eventually moved out of the house with our baggages. I suddenly paused when I saw his car. Nabawi na pala nya ang kotse nya.

“Marriane, anak. Hanggang kelan pa ba kayo rito ha?” Mamu asked as she was cooking and I was helping her cutting the other ingredients. “Oo nga ate. Baka nakakalimutan mo, nandun pa rin kayo sa kwarto ko.” He said sarcastically as he was playing with Camille. Oo, alam ko.

“Di ko alam. Tapos na ko.” I washed my hands. “Dun muna ko sa taas.” I said as mamu responded with her hand over the air and I proceed to my brother’s room. My body loosen up the the bed.

I sighed. “Bakit mo ba to ginagawa? You made me worried.” I asked him. There was a pause and at any other point in time, his response would have shocked me to the point of melting. However, the current situation was really different.

“Kasi naman, iniwan mo ko eh.”

We pause there for a long time as I registered his words in my mind. He decided to break the ice. “Tsk. Eto lang pala ang gagawin ko para balikan mo ko.”

Napaupo sya sa kama and I looked up at him whose gaze was on me intensely. I felt my heart skip a beat. “You responded well.” With that, he pulled my arm and he wrapped me in his embrace. “I missed you so much.” He whispered into my ear. That’s when I started to hug him too. My final answer? No. I don’t like him.

We heard a loud thump at the door. “Ano yun?” I asked as we rushed to the door.

It was Candy, lying on the floor and was lost of her consciousness.

“Dee?!” He exclaimed as he rushed to her and tried to recover her consciousness. Ang sakit. Watching them two makes my heart torn into pieces. “Dee, gumising ka! Candy!”

But she still felt unconscious so Rex carried her in his arms like a prince. Parang ako yung witch na lumason kay Snow White nito. He was about to ran away with her when I stopped him. “Rex, wag mo kong iwan.” I said in a small voice.

I felt someone was beside me as I looked through the mist in my vision. I opened my eyes and found Rex’s head buried under his arms. He suddenly woke up by the noise I made. I looked at the clock hanging at the wall, telling me that it was now 3 in the morning.

When we arrived at the front of our house, he took me out. “Ano b-ba.. ay--yoko pang umu--wi…” I groaned. “Teka, wag kang malikot.” He pressed the doorbell. Then, my not-so-clear vision saw Rex at the door, approaching me. “Anong nangyari sa kanya?” He attempted to carry me but I explode when I realized that he was the cause of this ache.

“HEH! WAG MO NGA AKONG MAHAWAK-HAWAKAN! WAG KANG LALAPIT!” I exclaimed as I shove him away and Lawrence’s hand too. I stood steadily and pointed my hand like a year older.

“L-lalabas na muna ako.” I said and turned to walk away. But then, he suddenly grabbed my hands and hugged me.

“I really meant what I said kanina. I really like you.” He said at bumitaw ako. I pushed him when said those four words. I looked at him in shock. “Pero si Candy--”

“See this ring?” He raised his hand and also mine, showing our wedding rings. “We have this, and we always going to have this. Sino ba rito ang asawa ko kundi ikaw lang?” There was an awkward silence between us. Then he smiled. His eyes were only seeing… mine. Then it happened again. The kiss. But, it was a gentle one this time.

Nagvolunteer naman si Lawrence na ihatid kami papunta dun sa bahay namin ni Rex. “Here’s the stop, mam.” He said as if he was a tour guide. Sheesh. “Mama, papasok na po ako!” Camille said and went out of the car. She’s very excited talaga.

“Andito na ko!” I heard Rex’s voice from the living room and I saw him walking towards here. “Andito pala ang baby namin na si Camille..” He kissed her on the head and then sat on the other seat which is next to me, starting to eat.

“Sige na baby. Magpaalam ka na sa kanila,” Then her eyes shifted to Lawrence and continued. “Nang makaalis na tayo agad.” That maybe hit him. I felt bad to Lawrence. But angry because of what he did to Andrea.

“Hindi ko pa kaya sya kilala noon.” He drank water and stared far away. An awkward silence came. He suddenly changed into a vulnerable one. He stood up. “Labas lang ako.” And he walked out of this house.

He was about to walk out when I called him. “Rex… pwede ba ‘kong… sumama?”

“Sure.”

***

“Oi, Marriane,” Rex called when he entered the door. “Hmm?” I asked as I was hiding behind the door. “Bakit ka nagtatago? Hindi ka ba papasok?”

“Ah, eh, kasi… tama lang ba talaga na sumama ako rito?” I wandered.

He sighed. “Wala kang dapat ikatakot. At tsaka, sumama ka rito diba? Kaya pumasok ka na.” He pulled me gently as we entered the room. We saw Candy sitting on the bed. As her head lifted to us, the atmosphere suddenly went tense. I wish I didn’t exist. I wish I didn’t exist.

I wish I was invisible by now!

“Gising ka pala. Dinalhan ka nga pala namin ng pagkain.”

“Eto oh ---”

“Get out.” Was the word that I was expecting her to say. “Dee ---”

“Get out. I need to talk to him PERSONALLY.” She said, referring to me.

I snapped out in my thoughts as I looked back to them. “Tara na!” Abby said as she was about to enter the bus. “Ah, oo! Sige!” I ran to the bus and searched for a seat. Tatluhan naman yung upuan eh kaya tabi-tabi na kami. Dun ako umupo sa tabi ng bintana and went back to my thoughts. Paiiyakin nanaman ata nya ko eh. Kainis talaga. Aish, Marriane, wag kang iiyak.